Cheteshwar Pujara Retires Hurt In Ranji Trophy 2024; Potential Test Call-Up Hits Roadblock

Cheteshwar Pujara in June 2023 (AP)

The race for a potential Test comeback for out-of-favor Indian veteran Cheteshwar Pujara just got tougher as the renowned batting barnacle was retired-hurt during Saurashtra’s Ranji Trophy 2024 game.

Batting for his side in the first innings of their Elite Group A four-day bout against Services at Delhi’s Palam A Ground, the 36-year-old was spotted playing with a stiff back. The cricketer received medical assistance from the support staff in the ground, before he subsequently made his way back to the pavilion.

Pujara faces back issues in quest of a Test comeback

Cheteshwar Pujara made his way to the crease for Saurashtra during the final session of Day 3. However, the cricketer kept facing back issues and was required to receive medical assistance between overs. The senior batsman eventually retired hurt himself after scoring just nine runs from 31 balls.

Cheteshwar Pujara last played a Test match for Team India back in June during the WTC 2023 final against Australia at The Oval. The seasoned campaigner was subsequently dropped from the Indian team owing to his extensive lean patch in the format.

In a bid to make a return to India’s Test setup, Pujara played County cricket in England for Sussex, and has been actively headlining Saurashtra’s batting charge in Indian domestic events.

Earlier in January, the legendary Indian batter pounded an unbeaten 243 against Jharkhand at Rajkot. He also became one of the few Indian cricketers to complete 20,000 first-class runs in the process, joining the likes of all-time greats like Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid in the celebrated list.

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